


but it's not the same at all

by shesthesmoke



Series: spend my life as a loaded gun [5]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Gen, because bs, crashcon aftermath, flint doesn't actually appear oops, greg feeling like he hasn't done his job as an older brother, greg goes to max's house to tear him a new one, if we find out flint is actually older i'm gonna riot, max just kinda takes it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:35:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25921423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shesthesmoke/pseuds/shesthesmoke
Summary: after crashcon, greg got the whole story and realized how much he almost lost. the only thing to do now is make sure it doesn't happen again.title is from tango dancer from ghost quartet
Relationships: Flint Manes & Gregory Manes, Gregory Manes & Max Evans, Max Evans & Flint Manes
Series: spend my life as a loaded gun [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1806151
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	but it's not the same at all

**Author's Note:**

> if we don't see greg and flint in a scene together as soon as s3 starts i'm gonna flip my lid

Max Evans is enjoying a quiet Sunday morning at home when he hears a car door slam out front. He gets up and moves toward the door, but it opens without him and suddenly Greg Manes is in his house. 

"Hey…" Max says cautiously. He has no clue what's going on, but the look on Greg's face doesn't suggest anything good. 

"You wanna tell me what happened at CrashCon?" Oh. Max doesn't say anything. "Because if you can't, I'll go based on what Kyle Valenti told me. Kyle told me that when he showed up, Flint wasn't breathing. He told me you almost killed yourself just to take Flint down with you, even after he AND Alex AND Liz had risked everything to bring you back." Max pales at that last part, and Greg adds, "yeah, he told me about that too."

Okay, one piece of information at a time. Greg knows. How much does Greg know? “How much do you know?”

Greg takes a deep breath. “The 1947 crash, you and Michael and Isobel, Rosa, Noah, you coming back to life, Jim Valenti, Helena’s plan, Dad’s plan, Flint’s plan, Project Shepard, Caulfield, Michael and Alex, Mimi and Maria, Tripp, the shed… that’s all of it, right? Oh, and the Long farm.”

Oh, so he knows all of it. That’s… comforting. “And who did you get your information from?”

“Flint isn’t talking to me, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Greg counters, “If you’re so concerned I was lied to, why don’t you tell me what happened?”

Max doesn't have anything to say. He remembers the stupid excuses he'd made to Liz, but Liz had wanted to believe him. Greg wants the truth, but Max isn't even sure what the truth about his actions that night is. 

"If you're not gonna say anything, I can keep talking," Greg prods, bringing Max out of his thoughts. "You know I killed my dad that night?" Max nods. Michael told him. "He had his gun pointed at Michael, I got in the way… and then Alex charged at him, and there was a scuffle… and then it was in my hands and I just did it. Didn't even think about it." 

The irony of it all: Max's brother would be dead if not for Greg, and Greg's brother would be fine if not for Max. 

"Do you regret it?" Max asks weakly. If he's brought the fury of yet another Manes man down on his siblings, it's safest to find out as early as possible. 

Greg shakes his head. "Not for a second," he says, but there's something unsure behind his eyes. “Do you?”

Max can’t find it within himself to lie. “I… I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

Max shakes his head. “I… I wanted to protect my family. I was tired of being scared. Tired of being in danger.”

“His gun was on the ground,” Greg whispers. “You didn’t try to shoot him, you gave him that…” He holds his hand in front of his chest to illustrate his point. “Why?”

Max shrugs. “Why did you do what you did?”

"I didn't do it for your brother," Greg says, with conviction this time, "I did it for mine. To keep Alex safe, but also so Flint could be his own fucking person again. I didn't… I didn't pay enough attention when it mattered. I thought as long as Alex was okay, as long as he got out, we'd all be fine. I didn't realize… Flint needed someone too, and eventually Dad was the only one there. You know he was the best storyteller when we were kids? He stopped when mom left, but that part of him is still there, I know it is. Dad came in and scraped out all the stuff that wasn't useful to him and twisted the parts that were, just because he could, because Clay and I weren't there. And then suddenly they were working together, and I couldn't change his mind, I couldn't… I couldn't help him. It was too late." 

"Are you saying he's the victim in all of this?" Max asks incredulously. 

"I'm saying I didn't do my job!" Greg snaps. "I failed him, and then I almost lost him for good." 

"I'm sorry," Max whispers. 

"I'm sure you are," Greg sighs. "I'm sure you were just trying to protect your family, and I don't buy that you guys are out to massacre humanity and colonize Earth, or whatever my dad used to think. Michael and Isobel are good people, we’ll protect them if it comes down to that…"

Max senses a "but" coming.

Suddenly, Greg looks so tired that Max feels like a burden even though all he’s done is stand in his own living room and get yelled at. "But I don’t want you coming near my brother again, alright?" He’s gone before Max gets a chance to respond. 


End file.
